This book explores the bottom-up processes of ASEAN regionalism by elaborating the potential central role and significant contribution of Southeast Asian civil society organizations in their involvement in some major ASEAN regional mechanisms. The publication provides critical review on the effectiveness of the existing ACSC/APF as a regional CSOs platform to engage ASEAN, as well as insight and understanding about the challenges and potential opportunities for civil society engagement in ASEAN. This study analyzes the ideal model of interactor relations in dealing with regional issues and has successfully come up with a new proposed model of CSOs’ engagement in ASEAN.
Furthermore, this book discusses challenges faced by ACSC/APF in creating avenues for the people engagement in Southeast Asia. As a result we proposed recommendations for ACSC/APF empowerment, taking lessons from AFML as another civil society forum in ASEAN. We hope this book helps readers understand the limitation of civil society participation in ASEAN – a situation created by ASEAN Member States’ reluctancy in welcoming the involvement of non-state actors in the process of regionalism.
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